Alice Timander
A Stockholm dentist who became a flamboyant society fixture, known for her outrageous hats and relentless party-going well into her nineties.
1915–2007 (age 92)·Swedish dentist and celebrity·Birthday: October 6·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Alice Timander carved out a life of delightful contradiction. By day, she was a respected dentist with a clinic in Stockholm, a profession she practiced diligently for decades. By night, and increasingly as she aged, she transformed into the city's most irrepressible social butterfly. Timander became a mandatory presence at theater premieres and film openings, not for her professional accolades but for her audacious, often enormous hats and her radiant, unflagging energy. She defied every expectation of how an older woman should behave, dancing, socializing, and embracing celebrity with a gusto that made her a beloved local character. Her life was a testament to the joy of self-invention, proving that one could be both a serious professional and a dedicated celebrant of life's glittering moments.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alice was born in 1915, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alice Was Born
The biggest hits of 1915
#1 Movie
The Birth of a Nation
Alice's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1915Born
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Started school
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1928Became a teenager
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Could drive
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1933Could vote
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Turned 21
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1945Turned 30
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 40
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 50
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 60
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 70
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 80
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2007Died at 92
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Maintained a successful dental practice in Stockholm for many years while cultivating a parallel life as a public personality.
- Became a recognized and beloved symbol of Stockholm's nightlife and cultural scene for over half a century.
- Authored an autobiography, sharing the story of her unique double life with the public.
Did You Know?
She was known for wearing elaborate, sometimes theme-based hats to every major Stockholm premiere.
She continued attending high-profile events and parties regularly until her death at age 91.
Her clientele as a dentist reportedly included many figures from the Swedish film and theater world.
“A good party is the best medicine.”
